Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-02-04
ADELPHIAN LITERARY SOCIETY.
SHAKsPEARH.
IA paper read by Miss FANsrn FREDLaEDER be
fore the Adelphian Literary Society," jan. 2e 1887

| "a paper read by Miss FAEsm FRIEDLAspKR be-
fore the Adelphan Literary Society, Jan. 2s 1881
A life of peace and prosperity furnishes but
little matter for a chronicle. Such doubtless,
with but brief interval, was that of England's
greatest poet, Shakespeare. For the record OF
his life is brief in the extreme: rather more of
an obscure atmosphere than might be wished
surrounds his early life, and scarcely anything
remains to his biographers but scanty hand
ful of conjectures.
He was born at Stratford- on Avon, in War
wickshire, April 23, 1864. The boy.hood of
Shakespeare, till he was ten years old, was
spent probably in manner we'll adapted to
foster his genius.
The beautiful woodland scenery, the beds Of
violets and the banks of wild thyme made
deep impressions on his soul OF these lie
afterwards painted such beautiful p:c.ures,
but he was no mere dreamer fit only ''to pore
upon the brook that babbles by" We
have no doubt that when the daily tasks were
done, in the free grammar school Of Stratford,
he might often be seen en- Avon banks, rod
in hand, thinking more of trout and dace than
violets and wild thyme.
There can be no doubt that he received his
entire education at the free grammar school at
Stratford. As to the precise character and
amount OF this there has been much dispute;
some writers claiming on the evidence of his
works, that he must have had thorough
ciacSiral
as probably destitute Of any such youthful
advantage We can however surmise that
his days of preparatory study ended early, as
he married at the age of eighteen. His
bride, Anne Hathaway, was eight years older
than her husband. How he was employed
after he had left school before he went to Lon.
don il is impossible to make out with dis
| tlnction. One tradition informs us that he
served as apprentice 10 butcher, another
story has it that he acted for some years as
| teacher, and also that he spent some Of his
time in an attorneys office. He may have
killed an odd calf or sheep, have taught an
occasional class for his former master, and
have driven the quill over many yards of yel
low parchment; the very exist ence OF three
| different stories implies that his life was
changeful and undecided The future poet,
it is said while out on noctura poaching ex-
petition in neighboring deer park was
caught by the keeper and kept for the night
a prisoner, an1 in the morning arraigned be-
fore justice Of peace, and whatever punish
| E,11o,raJ tb. Is H.. ~
poet, who in revenge wrote some punning
rhymes upon the owner Of the park and
stuck them upon the park gate The knight
rage grew SO violent that Shakespeare had to
flee from Stratford. Some modern authorities
discard this with scorn, yet we have perhaps
ground work Of truth sufficient to afford
strong belief that his opening manhood was
wild and riotous.
In 1886, he went TO London and there be-
gan that wonderful theatrical life of twenty
six years. Here toe there are vague traditions
Of his life According to one, he was call
boy and according to another held horses at
the heatre door. However he may have
earned his first shlllings in London, it is GER
tain he soon became very prosperous; at once
dramatist, actor, and share holder in the Black
Fnarr Theatre. As dramatist, his magnificent
powers were at once recognized and in no
long time had won for him the very foremost
rank among the writers for the stage OF his
time. The plays of Shakespeare, so far as the
battling of critics has agreed upon, number
thirty-ive of which there are IL tragedies, IA
comedies and 10 histories tits supposed that
he quilted the stage finally in 1904, and pre-
vious to the year 1913 he had ceased to reside
in London and. established himself in Stratford.
OF his last years there spent, further than that
they lapsed peacefully and in honor, nearly
nothing is known. He expired on his birth
day April %, 1916, aged 81 years; having
secured, during his comparatively short life,
an eternity of fame.
He was buried with his ancestors on the
north side of the chancel in the great church
of Stratford.